Liquid and paste dispenser



Jan. 7, 1969 D. F. coRsETTE LIQUID AND PASTE DISPENSER Filed-Aug. 14,1967 lll f/ci f ouz 45 (0@55775 #ITam/frs United States Patent O3,420,413 LIQUID AND PASTE DISPENSER Douglas F. Corsette, Los Angeles,Calif., assignor to Diamond International Corporation, New York, NX., acorporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 14, 1967, Ser. No. 660,471 U.S. Cl.222-107 Int. Cl. B67d 5/42 9 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE Backgroundof the invention It has heretofore been proposed, for instance in myprior Patent No. 3,288,334 of Nov. 29, 1966, to utilize a generallyconventional reciprocating pump for dispensing liquid or paste-likecontents from a collapsible container. Such a collapsible container maybe suitably supported, either as taught in the patent or in a generallyrigid casing, to withstand the vertical thrust of the pumping action. Itis of particular importance in such a dispensing arrangement to providea completely reliable air-tight connection between the container and itsclosure member inasmuch as leakage of air into the container in anysubstantial amount will either render the pump inoperative or seriouslydetract from the efficiency in dispensing of comparatively viscousliquids or pasty materials.

Also, in connection with the dispensing of various products, it isfrequently desirable to provide a closure which, after once beingapplied, cannot be removed without visible ldamage, thereby preventingthe refilling of an exhausted container or the substitution of itscontents by a spurious product, Without the knowledge of the consumer.

Summary of the invention The present invention contemplates theprovision of a closure member, as well as of certain adaptations of thecontainer, to adapt it for use in combination with the closure member toachieve the ends above indicated. While the closure member and theconsequential cooperating features of the container are particularlyadapted for use in a liquid or pasty material dispenser of characterabove described, they are also adapted for more general application notnecessarily involving any dispensing pump or function.

In accordance with an important aspect of the invention, the closuremember is secured on the neck of the container member by snap beads oneach member which are interlocked with each other by the action ofthreaded sections of the respective members in drawing the closuremember axially onto the container neck. The snap beads and threadedsections are so arranged that the threads release each other aftermoving the snap beads to interlocking relation. The beads themselves,through the action of cooperating cam surfaces, achieve the desirableends of urging and resiliently maintaining the closure member in axialsealing engagement with the container neck. Also, the coacting camsurfaces serve to axially separate the ICC disengaged threads to preventtheir subsequent use for removal of the closure member. To achieve the`above ends, it is suflicient that either of the members be resilientlyradially deformable.

Where the container neck is resiliently radially deformable, however,the invention may attain certain other important functions. Inparticular, in such event, the closure is provided with a stopperdepending into the container mouth; and the end portion of the containerneck between its mouth and snap bead is of generally upwardly convergingconical conguration whereby axial thrust of the closure member againstthe end of the neck will tend to deflect the container mouth into radialsealing engagement with the stopper. Moreover, the radial compressingelect of the closure member around the container neck in such eventtends to elongate the upper portion of the neck and thus maintain it inresilient thrusting engagement with the closure member.

Brief description of the drawing In the accompanying drawings:

FIGURE l is a view in axial section through a pump type dispensingcontainer embodying the preferred form of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation on a somewhat reduced scale compared withFIGURE 1 showing the container only with the closure cap and dispensingpump removed; and

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged detail section of interconnected portions of thecontainer neck and closure cap.

Description of the preferred embodiment Referring now in `detail to thedrawings, the invention as illustrated therein is embodied in adispenser comprising an inner container member of a suitable elastomericplastic material, such as polyethylene, having a main body 10 of anysuitable cross-sectional shape and a tubular neck 12 of circularcross-sectional configuration, the upper end of which defines acontainer mouth or outlet 14 surrounded preferably by axially directedsealing rings 15 concentric to each other and radially spaced forsealing reception between them of the sealing ring 16 carried by the topwall 18 of a closure cap generally designated 20 and having aninternally threaded skirt 22 for cooperation with the externallythreaded container neck 12 in a manner more fully described hereinafter.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the container 10 is eXibleand collapsible; and it is, therefore, desirable that it be supportedwithin a rigid outer casing or housing of which the container closurecap 20 may form a part, together with a cup-like casing member of vinylor other rigid plastic 24.

It will be seen in FIGURE l that the collapsible container 10 isconnected to the closure cap and supported thereby in suspended fashionwithin the container section 24. In order to interconnect the closureand casing body 24, the closure member 2t) is formed with a preferablyintegral shoulder 26 projecting radially outwardly from the lowerperiphery of its skirt 22 and having depending therefrom a generallyconventional snap ring or rib 28 for cooperation in usual manner with aninwardly projecting snap ring 30 at the upper edge of the container body24. A downwardly directed surface 32 of the shoulder 26 rests on andabuts against the upper edge of the casing body 24 to provide axialsupport for the closure cap and the container itself on the casing body24.

In the present instance, a supply of liquid housed within the container10 is adapted to be withdrawn therefrom and dispensed by a pump ofgenerally conventional structure including a stationary pump cylinder orbarrel 34 which preferably is formed integrally with the top wall 18 ofthe cap and depends axially therefrom into the container in the mannersuch as disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 3,248,021 of Apr. 26, 1966. It willbe seen that the barrel 34 opens upwardly through the cap for receptionof the reciprocating pump plunger 36, through which suitable dischargepassages (not shown) extend for con nection to a discharge spout 38carried by the external end of the plunger 36. lt will be understoodthat the plunger may be of the usual spring-projected type for actuationby intermittent finger pressure on the upper end portion or head 40, asin the Corsette et al., U.S. Patent 3,248,021.

In order to seal the pump against the inadvertent escape of thecontainer contents or influx of air to the container between the plungerand cylinder, it may be desirable to form the cap with an upwardlydirected internally threaded sleeve `42 for cooperation in the usualmanner with an externally threaded base portion 44 of the plunger head.By threading down this base portion 44 tightly into the internallythreaded sleeve or socket 42, a seal 46 is established. Also, the baseof the externally threaded plug 44 sealingly engages the shoulder orledge 48 within the pump barrel.

When it is desired to use the pump for dispensing the containercontents, the threaded plug portion 44 of the plunger is rotated torelease it from the internally threaded sleeve or socket 42, whereuponit may be reciprocated to dispense the desired amount of contents fromthe container.

The container member is subjected to atmospheric pressure which is freeto enter the outer casing 24 through an opening 50 in the bottomthereof. Thus, as the container contents are withdrawn by the pump, theatmospheric pressure will collapse the container around the pump barrel34. 1n order to preserve a clear path of entry for substantially all ofthe container contents into the pump barrel as the container collapsesaround the barrel, it is desirable to form the barrel with a series ofslots, such as 52, extending upwardly from its lower end but terminatingat a location somewhat below the range of reciprocation of the plungerpiston (not shown) within the cylinder.

The arrangement as thus far generally described exemplifies the type ofarrangement, such as disclosed in my prior Patent 3,288,334, in which itis essential that seepage of air into the container, as well as loss ofthe container contents through the closure member, be prevented by anefficient sealing relationship between the container and closuremembers. While such an arrangement is one in which the present inventionnds particular utility, the invention is by no means restricted to thisspecific use.

The present invention not only provides an efficient sealingrelationship, but also provides for easily and efficiently applying thecap to the container. Moreover, in accordance twith a further aspect ofthe invention, the cap is applied in a manner such that it is lockedonto the container and, after its initial application, cannot be removedwithout damage or destruction of the various parts. Thus, a manufacturerwho employs such a container for the sale of his product has someassurance that the container cannot be refilled with a spurious productwithout knowledge of the consumer.

Now, considering in more detail the specific connection of the closurecap or member to the container member, it will be seen by reference toFIGURES 1 and 2 that the container neck 12 is formed externally with aradially projecting snap bead, generally designated 56, adjacent butbelow its mouth 14, while the closure cap 22 is formed internally with aradially inwardly projecting snap bead 58 for cooperation with the snapbead 56. Both of the snap beads have radially presented annular crests56', 58 respectively disposed in radial planes with respect to theiraxes of relative rotation, and, the

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4 bead 58 of the cap is normally of smaller diameter at its crest 58than is the neck bead.

Moreover, both the cap skirt 22 and the neck 12 are provided below theirrespective snap beads with threaded sections 6) and 62 respectively.These threaded sections are axially located and dimensioned tointerengage during threading of the cap downwardly onto the containerneck only prior to and during such time as the crest 58' of the cap orclosure bead moves downwardly onto and through a dead center position inwhich its crest 58 is in a common radial plane with the crest 56 of theneck snap bead 56. The threads 60 and 62 are of such axial location andextent as to disengage immediately upon downward movement of the closurebead 58 through or past this dead center position.

Preferably, each of the threaded sections comprises multiple threads ofidentical pitch, and axially coextensive, so that they will exert equalaxial forces at locations concentric to the axis of relative rotation ofthe container and closure members, thus avoiding any tendency to axiallytilt or cant the members relative to each other.

As has been above mentioned in the preferred embodiment, the containermember 10 itself, including its neck 12, is formed of a suitableflexible resiliently deformable material such as will permit radialcompression of its neck at the location of the bead 56 to permitmovement therepast of the closure bead 58.

In order to provide for radial contraction or compression of the neck sothat the snap beads 56 and 58 may move past each other duringapplication of the closure member, one of the beads, in this instancethe skirt bead 58, is provided with a generally conical cam surface 58awhich diverges axially downwardly from its crest 58'. Thus, as theclosure cap is threaded downwardly onto the container neck, the cammingengagement of the conical surface 58a with the bead 56 will radiallydeform and, in the present instance, radially compress the containerneck at the base of its conical surface 56a until the beads snap pasteach other.

At this time, it will be understood that the closure threads 60 willhave passed downwardly through the neck threads 62 and thus becomedisengaged, though the two sets of threads may still be in axialabutment, and the radially compressed portion of the neck will be freeto re-expand.

In order to produce a slight axial separation between these threads orthreaded sections such as will prevent their subsequent cooperation tofacilitate removal of the cap, one of the snap beads, in the presentinstance the bead 58 of the cap, is provided with a conical cam surface5811 which diverges axially upwardly from its crest 58 for continuedcamming engagement with the other bead 56, incident to expansion of thelatter with the neck, to pull the cap still further onto the containerneck after the threads are disengaged. Preferably, the slope of the camsurface 5811 is suiiiciently sharp as to therafter firmly secure theclosure member on `the container member.

It will be noted that the closure member 20 above its snap bead 5S is ofsomewhat less internal diameter than the crest of the snap bead 56 onthe neck so that, even after the beads 56, 58 snap past each other, theclosure member still exerts a radial confining and compressing action onthe neck at the level of its bead 56. By thus axially confining theneck, it produces an axial elongation of the neck into sealingengagement with the closure top wall, while also camming the top wallaxially against the neck, to maintain an efficient seal.

It will further be seen that the neck is formed above the bead 56 with atapering substantially conical portion 56a which diverges downwardlyfrom adjacent the mouth 14 of the container to the crest of bead 56, andis preferably coincident with the upper surface of bead 56.

The top wall of the closure member carries an annular rigid stopper 66which is snugly received in the mouth 14. Because of the conicalconfiguration of the upper end portion of the neck, the axial thrustbetween the closure top wall 18 on the upper end of the neck urges theupper end radially inwardly so as to contract the container mouth 14into rm radial sealing engagement with the stopper. At the same time,the stopper backs up the container mouth against the radially inwarddeflection produced by the axial thrust of the closure top wall. Thestopper thus defeats the tendency of the exible plastic neck material tocold ilow or weaken with time under the continuing stress imposed on it.

Operation of the invention In the operation of the invention which isbelieved to be apparent from the foregoing description, the closuremember with its pump support therein will normally be applied to thefilled container prior to insertion of the latter into the casing 24.The pump will be inserted downwardly into the container neck, while theclosure member 20 will be applied axially onto the neck 12 until thethreaded portions 60 and 62 respectively are interengaged. Relativerotation between the container member and closure member 20 will thenfunction to draw the snap bead 56 of the closure member downwardly justpast the dead center position with respect to the container snap bead56, thus radially compressing the neck in the radial plane of its bead56, at which time the threads of the closure member will have passeddownwardly completely through the threads of the container neck. At thistime, the camming action of the snap bead surface 58b against the necksnap bead 56, incident to radial expansion of the neck, will draw theclosure member further down onto the container neck sufliciently toaxially separate the threaded sections 60 and 62 as well as to bring thetop wall 18 of the closure cap into axially thrusting sealing engagementwith the upper end of the container neck.

In the interlocked condition of the snap beads 56 and 58, the snap bead56 of the neck will still be maintained under radial compression in theclosure member. Because of the conical configuration of the upper end ofthe neck, such compression will generate an axial component of thrust ofthe neck against the top wall of the closure as well as a radiallyinwardly component causing the outlet or mouth 14 at the upper end ofthe neck to contract around and radially seal against the stopper 66.

Moreover, it will be seen that the annular stopper 66 functions in thisarrangement to back up the periphery of the container mouth 14 againstradially inward pressures resulting from its thrusting engagement withthe top wall 18 of the container member and thus will defeat anytendency of the flexible plastic material of the neck to cold-ow orweaken with time under the stresses which are applied to it.

After the closure member and pump are thus applied to the containermember 10, the container is then disposed within the comparatively rigidcasing 24 and the lower periphery of the container shoulder 26 is snapfitted onto the container casing 24 in a manner that will be readilyapparent.

The pump may then be employed in conventional manner to dispense thecontents of the container 10 as desired. In order to use the pump, it isnecessary rst to rotate it to disengage its threaded portion 44 from theinternally threaded socket 42 of the closure member whereupon it may bereciprocated by intermittent finger pressure on the plunger head 40 toexpel the product from the container through the spout 38.

As the product is withdrawn from the container, the latter is collapsedby atmospheric pressure entering the container casing 24 through theopening 50. It is not necessary that the pump have its intake locatednear the lower end of the container inasmuch as the collapsing of thecontainer around the pump cylinder will urge the product into thecylinder through the intake slots 52 and open lower end of the pumpcylinder.

In this application, I have shown and described only the preferredembodiment of the invention, having in mind that various modificationswill be readily apparent to persons of average skill in the art, withoutdeparting from the inventive concept as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In combination, a container member having a tubular neck ofresiliently deformable material defining a circular mouth at its upperend, and a closure member having a top wall for axial abutment with theupper end of the neck and a depending skirt encircling the neck, saidneck having an upper end portion of substantially frusto-conicalconfiguration diverging downwardly from its mouth, with the base of saidportion projecting radially outwardly from the axially adjacent sectionsof the neck to provide a snap bead, a stopper depending from said topwall of the closure member and snugly received in said mouth, a radiallyinwardly projecting snap bead formed within the skirt of said closuremember and of a diameter less than that of said base to radiallycompress the latter during movement downwardly over said frusto-conicalportion and to engage beneath said base incident to radial expansion ofthe latter, said top wall being axially spaced from the skirt bead adistance to thrust axially against said upper end of the neck and tourge said mouth radially into sealing engagement with the stopper, saidsnap bead of the closure being formed with a downwardly presentedannular cam surface of conical configuration for engagement with saidsnap bead of the neck to thrust said top wall of the cap against theupper end of the neck incident to radial expansion of the neck snap beadtherebeneath, said neck and said skirt being provided beneath theirrespective snap beads with cooperating threaded sections arranged tointerengage incident to rotary movement of the closure member as it isapplied to the container member whereby to urge said snap bead of theskirt downwardly over said base, and to disengage as said neck snap beadis engaged by said annular cam surface of the neck, the ensuing radialexpansion of the neck base following its passage through said skirt snapbead relatively axially moving said closure onto the neck and axiallyseparating said threaded sections.

2. The combination defined in claim 1, in which said threaded sectionsare provided with multiple coaxial threads, of similar pitch, eachoccupying but a fraction of the circumference of its respective section,the threads of the respective sections simultaneously engaging at aplurality of circumferential locations around said sections to avoid thecreation of axial tilting forces between the container and closuremembers.

3. In combination, a container member having a tubular neck defining adispensing outlet through its upper end, and a closure member adaptedfor axial reception on and sealing engagement with the upper end of saidneck, one of said members being of resiliently deformable material, saidneck being encircled by a radially outwardly projecting snap bead andsaid closure member having a skirt encircling the neck and formed with aradially inwardly presented snap bead, both of said snap beads havingradially presented annular crests in radial planes of the members, saidbead of the closure cap being normally of substantially smaller diameterat its crest than that of the neck, both said neck and said skirt havingcooperating threaded sections below their snap beads, said threadedsections being located and dimensioned to interengage during relativeaxial movement of said crests into and through a dead center position ina common radial plane as the cap is threaded onto the container neck,and being arranged to disengage immediately upon movement through saiddead center position, one of said beads having an axially downwardlydiverging conical cam surface for engagement with the other bead toradially deform said deformable member incident to threading of the caponto the container neck, one of said beads having an axially upwardlydiverging conical cam surface for camming engagement with the other saidbead after movement of the beads past said dead center position anddisengagement of the said threaded sections to axially separate thethreaded sections, said cap having means positioned to axially sealagainst said container neck and arrest the downward movement of theclosure member before said deformable member has fully regained itsnormal radial dimension.

4. The combination of claim 3, in which said means positioned to axiallyseal against the container neck comprises the top wall of the closuremember.

5. The combination of claim 3, in which said container and closuremembers respectively include telescopically interfitted portions spacedaxially below and of substantially larger diameter than said snap beads.

6. The combination of claim 3, in which said threaded sections areprovided with multiple coaxial threads, of similar pitch, each occupyingbut a fraction of the circumference of its respective section, thethreads of the respective sections simultaneously engaging at aplurality of circumferential locations around said sections to avoid thecreation of axial tilting forces between the container and closuremembers.

7. The combination defined in claim 3, in which said container member isof resiliently deformable material, and its neck is maintained underradial compression by the closure member, and thus caused to exert aresilient axial sealing thrust against the closure member.

8. The combination dened in claim 3, in which said container member isof resiliently deformable material, said snap bead of the skirt havingformed thereon said upwardly divergent cam surface for caming saidclosure member further onto the neck incident to partially radialreexpansion of the neck bead after passing through the crest of saidskirt bead, the internal diameter of the skirt immediately above itssaid snap bead being greater than the crest diameter of its said snapbead but smaller than the crest diameter of said neck snap bead, tomaintain said snap bead of the neck under radial compression, andthereby to resiliently thrust the upper end of the neck into axialsealing engagement with said top wall of the closure member.

9. The combination defined in claim 3, in which the upper end of saidneck has a substantially conical configuration converging upwardly fromsaid neck bead substantially to the container mouth, and its upper endaround the mouth is of substantially smaller diameter than its saidexternal snap bead, for axial abutment with the closure member, astopper carried by said closure member and depending into said mouth,said resilient axial thrust of the neck against said top wall, incombination with the conical configuration of said upper end of theneck, urging the inner periphery of said neck into radial se'alingengagement with said stopper.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,998,902 9/1961 Thomas ct al222-499 3,111,240 11/1963 Whitton 220-60 X 3,145,879 S/1964 Williams222-212 X 3,191,814 6/1965 Corsette et al 222--385 X SAMUEL F. COLEMAN,Primary Examiner.

U.S. Cl. XR.

